Dancing is my passion, it’s my escape! Morgan
Morgan, our choreographic rising star, is 17 years of age and a member of our youth company, Lotus, run in partnership with Tramshed. He recently worked with Colleen Joseph, Artistic Director of Lotus Youth Dance Company, to choreograph his own piece called Fear of Individuality. The piece is about a generation, his generation, that shuns the idea of being their own person and instead seek constantly to be part of a flock or trend – living in fear of their own individuality.
Morgan choreographed onto his fellow peers within the company and the piece was performed at a fundraising evening held at Greenwich Dance in November 2019 but it will be back, in an extended version he is working on with fellow young dance maker Priscilla, as part of the Greenwich Dance Up My Street Cabaret Clubs touring 5 community centres across the borough!
Morgan is also on our Progression Routes programme and has started assisting our NRgDance creative team at sessions across the borough to learn the skills needed to teach in the community. He is the first member of the company to take part in this new element of our programme and will be invited to join in our Practitioner Training course Boys in Dance delivered in April by acclaimed artist Zoie Golding where he will be well placed to offer an insight into how male dancers can be better supported by organisations like ours.
It is so fulfilling to see the rate in which Morgan has progressed through NRgDance. His success is clear indicator of the magnitude of benefits this programme has to offer young people in the Greenwich borough. I am very excited to support Morgan through our enriching new strand at Lotus. Morgan is without a doubt a force to be reckoned with and is a student set on a path of great success. Colleen Joseph
Photo: Roswitha Chesher
We talk to Morgan to get the lowdown:
What is Lotus Youth Dance company to you?
Lotus Youth Dance Company is a place to not only develop my dance skills but a place to get away from all the stress of school and home life whist connecting with other people that feel the same way as me.
What can someone coming to see your piece expect to see?
It could be an eye opener to them… to see how this generation may feel but don’t speak out. To be your own person is becoming a taboo in life. We are like sheep basically, no one talks about it but it is a very big issue! I have personally struggled with going away from following the crowd, I have wanted to be my own individual, but peer pressure prevents you.
Why is being a part of the youth dance company so important to you?
I feel that you feel like you have a place, that you belong to something and that is very big to belong to something, you feel special if that makes sense.
Photo: Roswitha Chesher
Have you done any other performances recently?
Yes I have, at our fundraiser in November and also “Wishful” a site specific celebration of light by Emergency Exit Arts. We were asked to perform as a feature company, which was amazing! Before that we were touring our piece- Head Space; which looked at the challenge’s youth people face whilst taking care of their mental health. It was our biggest piece of the year so far. We were asked to come back and do it again and again… We did even variation of Head Space as part of Spirit of Woolwich, the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival opening celebration too.
What would you say to a young person who is thinking about auditioning for the company?
I would say go for it, there is nothing to lose. It is a fun place to be! Even if you don’t get in first time round, I didn’t, you will learn what you need to improve for next time.
Watch Morgan Dance:
Photo: Roswitha Chesher
Photo: Roswitha Chesher
